Public buyer's concerns influencing the early phases of information system acquisition

The objective of this paper is to describe the approach utilized in the development of MANPRINT requirements for the Lighter, Amphibious — Heavy Lift (LAMP-H). LAMP-H is an air cushioned vehicle with a crew of six: a pilot, a navigator, and four stevedores who load and unload equipment from the vessel. The project was initiated during the program initiation phase of development. Several types of Air Cushion Vehicle (ACV) lighter craft were evaluated as baseline comparison systems for LAMP-H. The effort involved insuring compliance with human engineering design criteria and practice, incorporating lessons learned from analogous air-cushioned vehicles lighter craft, and addressing habitability, noise and other design issues affecting crew performance of tasks critical to the operation and maintenance of the LAMP-H. This paper details the analyses and techniques implemented in the early phases of the weapon system acquisition process for designing improved soldier-machine systems, as well as the products of the effort.

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Manpower, Personnel, Training and Safety in Air Force Weapon Systems Acquisition

Proceedings of the Human Factors Society Annual Meeting ◽

10.1177/154193128803201813 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 32 (18) ◽

pp. 1251-1255 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Kenneth W. Potempa ◽

Frank C. Gentner

Keyword(s):

Air Force ◽

Critical Period ◽

Weapon System ◽

Personnel Training ◽

Data Bases ◽

Weapon Systems ◽

Trade Offs ◽

System Acquisition ◽

Early Phases ◽

Made In

Manpower, personnel, training and safety (MPTS) analysis is currently inconsistent and incomplete in its application to Air Force acquisitions. While many problems are managerial, MPTS analysis also suffers from a lack of adequate tools and data bases to analyze weapon system design, project MPTS requirements and suggest trade-offs. These problems are particularly acute in the early phases of the weapon system acquisition process (WSAP), making it difficult to influence design during this critical period. To improve MPTS analysis, a study is being conducted by the Air Force to define a comprehensive and integrated MPTS analytic system for use in the WSAP. The study is identifying what MPTS decisions need to be made in the WSAP, when they need to be made, and how they are interrelated. Current capabilities are then being determined by analyzing the tools and data bases available to support each MPTS decision. The analysis will identify needed improvements to existing tools and data bases and whether new ones need to be developed. This paper discusses the requirement for an improved MPTS system and then describes a variety of managerial and technical initiatives being undertaken to satisfy the requirement. The last section identifies the desired characteristics of an effective MPTS system.

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Financial Evaluation of Information Systems Investments

Technologies & Methodologies for Evaluating Information Technology in Business ◽

10.4018/978-1-93177-748-3.ch008 ◽

2003 ◽

pp. 175-189

Author(s):

Charlene A. Dykman

Keyword(s):

Information System ◽

Information Systems ◽

Financial Analysis ◽

Investment Decisions ◽

Financial Evaluation ◽

Financial Measures ◽

General Management ◽

Expert Power ◽

System Acquisition ◽

Is Projects

Information systems represent a significant investment for most organizations, regardless of the industry. Managers need to understand that the decision to spend millions, or billions, of dollars on an information system should be analyzed just like any other major purchase. It seems that general management often just “gives in” to the “expert power” of the technologists, both internal and external to the organization. Calculating the Return on Investment (ROI) of an information system acquisition may not be quite as simple or straightforward as doing so for other capital expenditures. However, it is still possible, and necessary, to do the financial analysis. Discussed in this chapter are the issues involved in evaluating information system investment decisions as well as the applicability of various financial measures to evaluation of IS projects.

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